Pelt or hide stretcher



April 24, 1928./

'.1. J. SMITH FELT' 0R HIDE STRETCHER Filed Nov. s, 1925 TC'FX Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

yulsJHlTi-:n sTArEs PATENT WOFFICE;

.romarinl SMITH, orALLsToN, imissAcHUsETTs. s, l

i 'PELTKOR y:111ml sTnETcHER.

4application filedy Ndvlexiaer a; 19%. serial No. 66,499.

`'Ihis invention relates Vto hidefor` "peltk stretchers particularly of that type adapted to be usedfor thepurpose of stretching and drying' raw furbearing skins,`an' object of,

the invention being to provide an improved stretcherembodying a spring frame which is adjustable toladapt itself to hides or pelts of different sizes, wherein the deviceis'provided with improved' means for holding 'the sprino Vframe rwithin the l hide,A or, pelt-in ieelurtherv object 4offthis inventionfis l to i provide an improved fur or ypelt stretcher of the `type comprising a, spring frame liavingexpansibleand contractible s ringfarms adapted to maintain the peltvorV liide in the proper stretched condition, and `in which im"-I piove'd'myean's is` providednot only for locking the spring arms of the frame in adjusted position but also forclamping the tail piece of the fur or hidein stretched condition. Other objects of-this invention will appear in the followingl description and ap` pendedclaims, reference being had 'to ythe ac companying drawings forming a part` of this specification' -wl1erein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts Iin Vthe several views and wherein: y ,n y

Fig. 1 is aplan `view illustratingafstretch ing apparatus constructed in accordance with myinvention..." n, e s Fig. 2 is a similar View"k illustrating the peltor fur in position upon theframe, and` Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken substantiall'y onthe line ,2f-3, Fig.' 1 in the direct'rating *the improvedi'spreaderbar. d

Before explaining lin detail thefpresentimprovement and inode of*` operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that theinven! tion is not'limited` to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which yare illustrated in theV accompanying drawings,

since the invention is cap-ableof other em bodiments, and that the phraseology "which I employ is` forthe purpose of description and not of limitatio f tion offthe arrrows, and particularlyillus-v Referring to the drawings wherein I have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of my invention, itwillbe seen that the stretcher comprises aspring frame which is preferably formed from anrelatively heavy `wire bent 'intermediate its ends at 9 to provide rearwardly extending spring arms 10 and .11. lThe spring arm 10 is somewhat longer than the opposite arm 11, and at its rear endis bent substantially at right anglesA and inwardly to form a connecting arm the-free end'of which passes through ane e orloopv 13 formed at `the rear end of tie spring army 11, Thetransverse connecting arm 12 "atits end is bent to provide a handle 14, which also performs the function of interlocking the,` spring arms together `and preventingktheportion 12 from becoming disconnected fromthc eye orloop 13.

4Fiomthe 'foregoing construction, it will be seen that the spring arms lOand 11 may be contracted and expanded under tension, and in orderv to connect the arms together in adjustedr positions with respect toeach other,faspreader bar 15 is provided. This bar maybe formed from'a fiat metal plate which at one end is stamped out or otherwise formed to providea longitudinal guide slot 16 adapted to slidinglyfrreceive thefwireformed spring arm 10. The `'plate 15 is also 'stamped or otherwise formed at its opposite end to provide a similar longitudinal` guide slot 17. The slot 16 at its upper longitudinal Iedge is formed with a plurality of spaced `projections or teeth 18 forming ktherebetween recesses or notches 20 of sufficient sizeV to` receive and Vhold the arm 10 therein. In like manner the longitudinal guide slot 17 at its upper, edge is provided witha corresponding series of projections or teeth 19 forreceiving the spring arm 11. Secured to the upper edge ofthe spreader bar '15 by meansv of a clamping` plate 23 is a `leaf spring `22, which. spring extends lengthwiseof the spreaderbar and at its free end is bent or iaredk upwardly at 22. This kspring is preferably of considerable strength so kthat when iiexed to permit the insertion of thetail piece of the fur between the spring and the spreader bar, the fur tail piece will be firmly clamped inposition.

As shown in Fig.,` 2, a fur pelt or hide 26 is mounted in position upon the spring frame.v In using the stretching apparatus Vthe pelt is yturned inside out and the'nose coi -forming therebetween recess or notches 21 edges thereof. j

the arms in adjusted relative positions under 9 of the spring frame is inserted into `the pelt and the latter' drawn over the frame,

as shown in Fig. 2. By grasping the spring arms and expanding them, thepelt may be.

stretched to the desired extent. It Will be seen that when the arms 10 and 11 are thus spread or expanded outwardly, the rear ends of the arms will slide freely in the guide slots 16 and 17 along the lower straight N hen itis desired to clamp tension, it is merely necessary to force 'the spreader bar downwardly, or in a verti` cal direction, thereby causing the arm 10 to enter one ot' the recesses or vnotches 2() and stretched to the desired extent and when thc spring 22' is released, it Will firmly'clamp the tail pic-ce in position.' Y

ln the preferred form the spring'arms 10 and 11 at the inner edges thereof are providedivith spaced projections or teeth 24 and 25 respectively. r)These teeth cooperate with the teeth Vof the guide Yslots 1G andl so as to hold the spreader bar in position against sliding movement upon the frame. 'A

From' the foregoing operation and considering the present construction, it should be noted that the spring frame may be easily expanded 'or` contracted under against the fur pelt andlocled in such expandedor contracted position by means of the spreaderbar 15, it being merely necessary to shift the latter in adirection transverse to the movement of the spi'ing arms y longitudinally of thev spreader bar so as to cause the arms to enter the notches or recesses 2O and 21. In addition it should' be noted that the spreader bar 15 projects but a. slight distance at opposite faces Of .the spring frame and When the pelt 2G is mounted on the frame, the entire frame cairying the pelt, together with the spreader bar, is substantially flat from end to end vat opposite thereof, and as a result a large number of frames carrying pelts may be stacked one upon the other compactly so as to occupy a minimum of space.

lit is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims Aor the requirements 'of' the prior art.

tension the spring and the bar.

lVhat I claim is sprin'g arms, aspreader bar slidable on said arms and lconnecting the arms together, said bar haviiig'mieans for permitting relative movement of said arms longitudinally of tliebar' andv also Ahaving means for permitting movement thereof relatively to the arms in atransverse direction to lock the arms in various adjusted positions. Y

2. A stretcher comprising a spring frame having venpansible and contractible spring arms, a 'spreader bar connecting said arms together and slidable thereon, saidy bar hav ing a longitudinal guide slotfor receiving each arm :formed at one longitudinal side with,v a plurality of recesses for adjustably lockingvthe arms in position. y

3. A stretcher comprising a spring frame havingexpansib'le and contractible spring arms a spreader bar connectingsaid arms together "and slidable thereon, said bar hav ing Ia` longitudinal` guide slot for slidingly receiving lreach" arm, said formed at' one longitudinal' edge a' plurality of teeth spaced apart to'look said varms there- `between in adjusted position.

y f1. ,A stretcher c'oiiip'rising a spring frame having exp'ansible and; contractible spring arms, a spreader bar connecting said arms together and'slidable thereon, saidbarV havslot having ing a.y longitudinal guide slot forreceiving I eachfarm formed at one longitudinal' side with aplurality of recesses for adjustably locking'tliel arms inposition, and spring means connected Witlrsaid bar for clamping atail piece lof the fur jinfposition- 5. Astretchercomprisinga spring frame having relatively expansible and contractible arms, a spreader bai-'connecting said arms together and slidable thereon, said bar having a longitudinalguide slot for slidingly receiving one of said arms, said slot having formed at one longitudinal edge .thereof a series of notchesv for adjustably locking said arm under tension with relation to the other arm, and a leaf spring secured at one end only to said bar for clamping atail piece of the fur in position. y

6. A hide or pelt stretcher comprising a framehaving relatively expansible and contractiblev arms, a lspreader bar connecting said armstogether and slidable thereon, and a spring' secured to'saidfbar for clamping a tail piece of the pelt in position between 7. A hidev or pelt stretcher comprising a sprino' frame `having expansible and contractinle spring arms, a spreader bar connecting said arms together and slidable thereon, and a fiat spring secured at one end only to said bar for clamping a tail pieceV of the pelt in position between the spring and the bar.

8. A pelt stretcher comprising a frame having spring arms and a spreader barkfor Y ries of notches Jfor selectively receiving the' adjacent arm, said arms being freely movt able into and out of said notches by a rela?y tive lateral movement of said arms and bar.` n9. A pelt stretcher comprising a frame.

having spring arms and a spreader bar for connecting said arms and having means for engaging and securing a' portion of a pelt on said frame, said spreader bar having formed therein adjacent each'end a series of notches for selectively receiving the adjacent arm, said arms being freely movable into and out of said notches by a relative lateral movement of said arms and bar.

10. A'pelt stretcher comprising a frame having springarms and a spreader bar for connecting said arms, said spreader bar having formed therein adjacent each end a series of notches for selectively receiving the adjacent arm, said arms` being freely movable into and out of said notches by a relative lateral movement of said arms and bar, said arms having teeth cooperating with the edges of the notches to fix the position of said bar longitudinally of said arms.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature,

JOHN J. SMITH, 

